KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – On Saturday, Feb. 26, Zachary Kimbell-Auth, his brother Gabe, and fellow Konocti Christian Academy student Irish Ely will be just a few of the many brave souls taking a plunge for a good cause at the 2011 Polar Bear Plunge.

These polar bear plungers will take a quick dip in the chilly waters of Clear Lake in Lakeside County Park to raise funds for Special Olympics Northern California. They are inviting their friends and family to help.

Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and competition opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

But it is much more than a sports program. It is training for life, empowering these individuals with self-confidence and self-esteem that carries over into their every day lives.

What is most amazing is that Special Olympics is free to all for over 13,000 Special Olympics athletes in Northern California; but it costs approximately $500 to support one athlete's participation in Special Olympics for an entire year.

As team captain Zack Kimbell-Auth is trying to raise $500 (he says $3,000) and has asked his team members to try and raise at least $100 each (or $500). Will you help the Whackadoodle Dragons hit their goal? Here is how you can help:

Visit the team Web site and make a donation. You can make a donation to the team in general, Zachary, Gabe or Irish and it will all count towards our goal. You can find them at www.PolarPlungeLakeCounty.com.

Click on the Whackadoodle Dragon link under team rankings to the right of the page. You can also make your donation to the Whackadoodle Dragons in Honor or Memory of a loved one and it will show on our Honor Roll.